Over the past few days I have been looking through my prayer journals from the last several months. While recounting God’s blessings and the things he has answered, I found a recurring area that I have prayed for; it is the area of healing. While at times it has been for physical healing for friends and family members, the core of this healing God has called me to pray for is damage done to people by the church.
Brennan Manning once said:
“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”
Why would anyone want to be part of something whose lives don’t back up with they say they believe and that hurts the people it calls “family?”
This absolutely and utterly breaks my heart. Over the past 4-5 years of my life I have seen the church continually, for lack of a better word, screw people. It seems that no one is immune from it and some friends, years later, are still trying to recover and find a new community to be a part of.
During a particularly difficult time for many, the song “Not a god (You Are God Alone)” by Billy and Cindy Foote was very meaningful. The lyrics read:
You are not a god, created by human hands
You are not a god, dependent on any mortal man
You are not a god, in need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that’s just the way it is
You are God alone, from before time began
You were on Your throne, You are God alone
And right now, in the good times and bad
You are on Your throne, You are God alone
You’re the only God, whose power none can contend
You’re the only God, whose name and praise will never end
You’re the only God, who’s worthy of everything we can give
You are God, and that’s just the way it is
Unchangeable, Unshakable
Unstoppable, that’s what You are
What rich words to be reminded of. I think sometimes creation confuses itself for a god or to be greater than we really are. Michael Wells said:
“There are no great men of God, only weak men with a big God.”
If only we had more servant leaders of our great God.
In a day and time where it seems there is a model and method for everything, including God, I believe we need to return what Jesus said was most important:
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12:29-30 (NLT)
Just recently, one of the most influential churches in the United States admitted to making a mistake in the way they do church. However, this church resolves that:
“Our dream is that we fundamentally change the way we do church. That we take out a clean sheet of paper and we rethink all of our old assumptions. Replace it with new insights. Insights that are informed by research and rooted in Scripture. Our dream is really to discover what God is doing and how he’s asking us to transform this planet.”
There are two phrases that I love in that statement:
1. rooted in Scripture
2. to discover what God is doing
It’s not about speakers, pastors, and communicators or models, methods, principles, and purposes. While those things can be good, we simply need to be rooted in Scripture, ask for eyes to discover what God is doing, and then act.
I pray for the church, for the people leading the church, and for the people that have been hurt by the church. “Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.” Psalm 80:3 (NIV).
May we all experience healing and restoration this day.
Chad
For additional information, please see the following links:
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2007/10/willow_creek_re.html
http://floydandsally.org/2007/11/01/willow-creek-leaders-repent-of-program-based-church/
I just want to add a big praise God to those words you shared this morning Chad. I’m so thankful for a God that heals and restores us. Love and prayers for you this day, Mom
Chad:
As one who has been repeatedly hurt by those very churches, I thank you this morning for your words of wisdom. It is such a fog we get bound into…doing programs, measuring attendance, making ourselves feel better. But in the end it just all works of wood and stubble…stuff that burns. People are still hurting and are not burning with desire for another church program or service, which is all we as humans can offer…they are burning for desire for The God of the Universe who knows their hearts and wishes to heal them. We have to remember that it is our job just to travel with them on their journey to that place. Thanks for reminding us all that we are not God and that He is still in the healing business. Maybe it’s time for me to remember that!
What does the Lord require of you?
To do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
That is what I seek to live out every day…and I don’t need a church or a church program for that.
Thanks Chad!
Amen Harriet – preach on sister 🙂
Chad – thanks so much for posting this – we think Brennan Mannning is spot on and we know you have been through a lot of this stuff first hand – but we’re sure God is making you stronger and wiser through it all.
Robin & Karen